Convertible vehicle

ABSTRACT

A convertible vehicle with a roof ( 1 ), which comprises three separate roof parts ( 2, 3  and  4 ), can be stowed in the rear region of the vehicle and, in the region of the main bearing ( 5 ), assigned to the edge of the vehicle body, forms a movement unit ( 6 ), which comprises the front two parts of the roof, and a rear movement unit ( 7 ), which comprises the rear part ( 4 ) of the roof, the two movement units ( 6  and  7 ) being supported pivotably at the main bearing ( 5 ) by respective supporting parts ( 8  and  9  respectively), which are connected by a coupling rod ( 12 ), which is provided as a restricted guidance. This coupling rod ( 12 ) is connected at least at one end by an intermediate gearing (Z and Z′) with the respective supporting part ( 8  and  9 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a convertible vehicle with a roof,comprising at least three separate roof parts, as defined in theintroductory portion of claim 1.

[0002] The invention is concerned with the problem of improving aconvertible vehicle of the type known from DE 299 13 486 U1, so that thelinkage units, provided to move the roof parts, can be moved with lessdriving power and, when the roof parts are shifted jointly, a decreasein the stresses on the material are possible in the region of the dragbearing.

[0003] Pursuant to the invention, this objective is accomplished with aconvertible vehicle with the distinguishing features of claim 1. Withregard to further developments of the invention, reference is made toclaims 2 to 32.

[0004] In the region of its two movement units, controlling theadjustment movement of the roof parts in the region of the main bearing,the roof, constructed pursuant to the invention, has at least oneintermediate gearing, with which reduced adjusting forces can beimparted to the supporting parts of the two movement units, which areconnected over a coupling rod, already owing to the fact that a one-stepgear reduction of the driving movement takes place. This is advantageousespecially in the respective initial and end phases during the openingor closing process, because in these phases of the movement, theadjustment forces, brought about especially by the locking positionand/or the dead center position of the linkage parts, can be minimizedand the driving power for initiating the movement can also be reducedwith the intermediate gearing or gearings. During the adjustmentmovement of the roof parts, a movement, gentle to the material, isachieved in the region of the movement units, having a plurality oflinkage legs, in the course of the whole path of the movement withlargely constant driving forces.

[0005] By means of an appropriate optimization of the fulcrums and leverratios in this system of linkages, the gearing up or gear reduction ofthe intermediate gearing can be varied in the region of the gearingelements as a function of the force and velocity so that, with littleeffort, an adaptation to different roof systems is possible. Inaddition, for the stowing phase of the roof parts, a gas spring isintegrated as damping element in the force flux. With the dampingspring, a controlled stowing of the roof is possible and the subsequentshifting of the roof into the closed position is supported actively.

[0006] Further details of the invention arise out of the followingdescription and the drawing, in which an example of the object of theinvention is shown. In the drawing,

[0007]FIG. 1 shows a partially sectional side view of a roof, havingthree roof parts, of a convertible vehicle in the closed position,

[0008]FIG. 2 shows a side view similar to that of FIG. 1 during theopening phase of the roof and

[0009]FIG. 3 shows a side view of the roof of FIG. 1, shifted into arear opening position in the vehicle.

[0010]FIG. 1 illustrates a partially sectional side view of a roof 1,having three roof parts 2, 3 and 4, of a convertible vehicle, thedetails of which are not shown. From the closed position of FIG. 1, theroof 1 can be shifted to the rear region of the vehicle into an openposition (FIG. 3). In the region of the respective main bearings 5, ofwhich only one is shown in the side view and which is assigned to theedge of the vehicle body (not shown), the roof 1 has a movement unit 6,which comprises the two front parts 2 and 3 of the roof 1 and a rearmovement unit 7, which comprises the rear part 4 of the roof 1. The twomovement units 6 and 7 are held pivotably at the main bearing 5 byrespective supporting and linkage parts 8 and 9 in step bearings 10 and11 and a coupling rod 12 is provided as restricted guidance betweenthese supporting parts 8 and 9.

[0011] For the roof 1, constructed pursuant to the invention, thecoupling rod 12, in one conceivable construction, is connected at leastat one end by an intermediate gearing Z or Z′ with the respectivesupporting part 8 or 9. In the representations of FIGS. 1 to 3, anembodiment is shown, for which the coupling rod 12 has in each case oneof the intermediate gearings Z and Z′ to the front as well as to therear supporting parts 8 and 9.

[0012] With the intermediate gearing Z and Z′, a subassembly, bringingabout a gearing up or gear reduction of the driving motion (arrow A,FIG. 2) in the form of a gear reducer unit, is provided, with which therotational speeds or accelerations of the supporting parts 8 and 9 or ofthe two movement units 6 and 7 can be affected so that, with littledriving power, a largely synchronous movement of the parts is possible.In particular, a gear reduction for the adjusting speeds oraccelerations, effective by means of the coupling rod 12 at thesupporting parts 8 and 9, can be achieved with the two intermediategearings Z and Z′.

[0013] In an advantageous version, the roof construction has a drivingorgan 14, which is provided for controlling the roof automatically andconstructed as a hydraulic cylinder 14. This driving organ 14 engagesthe intermediate gearing Z, which is assigned to the front movement unit6, so that, starting out from the latter, the opening or closingmovement of the roof 1 takes place corresponding to the driving movement(arrow A) of the hydraulic cylinder 14′. Likewise, it is conceivablethat the driving organ 14 is assigned to the intermediate gearing Z′engaging the rear movement unit 7 (not shown).

[0014] The front intermediate gearing Z is provided with a driving lever16, which is supported at the main bearing 5 in a hinge point 15 and atwhich the driving organ 14, the coupling rod 12 and a rocking arm 17,connected with the supporting part 9 of the movement unit 7, are hinged.

[0015] The driving lever 16 is constructed as a rectangular lever, whichis pivotably supported at the main bearing 5 with a first leg part 18and the second leg part 19 of which, protruding at an angle of 90°, isconnected at the end with the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder 14′.In the corner region between the two 90° leg parts 18 and 19, thecoupling rod 12 is hinged in a hinge point 20 at the driving lever 16 insuch a manner, that a synchronous transfer of the movement (arrow A) tothe rear intermediate gearing Z′ is possible.

[0016] The swiveling lever 17 is provided for transferring movement tothe front supporting part 8. It is supported over a hinge point 21 inthe vicinity of the hinge point 20 also in the corner region of theangular lever 16. On the other hand, the swiveling lever 17 engages ahinge point 22 at the supporting part 8, so that a distance F, acting asa force-initiating lever, is formed between the hinge point 15 of thesupporting part 8 and the hinge point 22.

[0017] The rear intermediate gearing Z′ has a driving lever 25, which ishinged at the coupling rod 12 in a hinge point 23 and fixed at the otherend at the main bearing 5 in the vicinity of the supporting bearing 11in a hinge point 24. The driving lever 25, in turn, is connected over aswiveling lever 26 also in the supporting part 9 of the rear movementunit 7. The swiveling lever 26 moreover is connected in a hinge point 27with the driving lever 25, the hinge point 27 being disposed essentiallycentrally between the supporting bearing 11 and the hinge point 23. Ahinge point 28 of the swiveling lever 26 is disposed at the supportingpart 9 at a distance F′ from the supporting bearing 11 of the supportingpart 9, so that, with this distance, a rear driving lever is formedwhich, when motion is initiated, is effective synchronously with thefront lever F.

[0018] With the above-described two intermediate gearings Z and Z′ (gearreduction transmissions), the large swiveling paths of the roofcomponents 2, 3 and 4 are possible with a defined use of force, so that,by uniform accelerations and movement velocities, overloading of thecomponents is avoided. In FIG. 3, the shifting of the supporting part 9of the rear movement unit 7 is illustrated by way of example by amovement arrow S, which illustrates the length of a movement path. Withthe use of the two intermediate gearings Z and Z′, lever ratios,unfavorable for joint parts, are avoided on the whole of the movementpath S. With that, overall improved force initiation and accelerationconditions are achieved. By an optimum arrangement and dimensioning ofthe fulcrums and hinge points in the region of the two intermediategearings Z and Z′, an adaptation to different roof configurations ispossible with little expenditure for construction.

[0019] Due to the use of a gas spring 29, damping of the superimpositionof the swiveling movement on the weight force can be achieved when theroof 1 is stowed (FIG. 3) and the roof 1 can be moved in a controlledmanner into the stowed position. When the roof 1 is moved into theclosed position, the corresponding movement of the roof parts issupported actively by the gas spring 29.

1. A convertible vehicle with a roof (1), which comprises three separateroof parts (2, 3 and 4), can be stowed in the rear region of the vehicleand, in the region of the main bearing (5), assigned to the edge of thevehicle body, forms a movement unit (6), which comprises the front twoparts of the roof, and a rear movement unit (7), which comprises therear part (4) of the roof, the two movement units (6 and 7) beingsupported pivotably at the main bearing (5) by respective supportingparts (8 and 9 respectively), which are connected by a coupling rod(12), which is provided as a restricted guidance, wherein the couplingrod (12) is connected at least at one end by an intermediate gearing (Zand Z′) with the respective supporting part (8 and 9).
 2. Theconvertible vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the coupling rod (12) in eachcase has one of the interim gearings (Z and Z′) in the direction of thefront and rear supporting part (8 and 9 respectively).
 3. Theconvertible vehicle of claims 1 or 2, wherein the respectiveintermediate gearing (Z or Z′) is constructed in the form of a gearreduction unit, bringing about a gearing up or gear reduction of thedriving motion (arrow A).
 4. The convertible vehicle of one of theclaims 1 to 3 , wherein the two intermediate gearings (Z and Z′) in eachcase form a gear reduction for the adjusting speeds or adjustingaccelerations effective by means of the coupling rod (12) at thesupporting parts (8 and 9 respectively.
 5. The convertible vehicle ofone of the claims 1 to 4 , wherein a driving organ (14), which isprovided for controlling the roof automatically, is assigned to theintermediate gearing (Z), which engages the front movement unit (6), orto the intermediate gearing (Z′), which engages the rear movement unit(7).
 6. The convertible vehicle of one of the claims 1 to 5 , whereinthe front of the intermediate gearings (Z) is provided with a drivinglever (16), which is supported at the main bearing (5) and at which thedriving organ (14), the coupling rod (12) and a pivoting lever (17),which is connected with the supporting part (8) of the front movementunit (6), are hinged.
 7. The convertible vehicle of claim 6 , whereinthe driving lever (16) is constructed as an angular lever, which issupported pivotably with a first leg part (18) at the main bearing (5),the second leg part (19) of the angular lever, protruding at a 90°angle, being connected terminally with the driving organ (14).
 8. Theconvertible vehicle of claims 6 or 7, wherein the driving lever (16) ishinged in the corner region between the two 90° leg parts (18 and 19) atthe coupling rod (12).
 9. The convertible vehicle of one of the claims 6to 8 , wherein the pivoting lever (17) is also hinged in the cornerregion of the two leg parts (18 and 19) at the driving lever (16) and,on the other hand, engages this driving lever at a distance (F) from asupporting bearing (10) of the supporting part (8).
 10. The convertiblevehicle of one of the claims 1 to 9 , wherein the rear intermediategearing (Z′) has a driving lever (25), which is hinged at the couplingrod (12) and, at the other end, is mounted at the main bearing (5), andwhich is connected over a swiveling lever (26) with the supporting part(9) of the rear movement unit (7).
 11. The convertible vehicle of claim10 , wherein the swiveling lever (26) is hinged at the driving lever(25) centrally between the two connecting joints (23 and 24) of thedriving lever (25).
 12. The convertible vehicle of claims 10 or 11,wherein the swiveling lever (26) engages the supporting part (9) at adistance (F′) from the drag link (11) of the supporting part (9).